Shots Have Been Fired...

So, the first shot fired over head of Club Med has hit a target...thanks ONCE AGAIN to Lisa over at Brass & Ivory for her assistance in putting together a blue print of action (if you haven't gone over and read her blog, it's about TIME you do!).

I sent the first copy of "the letter" via email Sunday late night, only to discover on Monday, NO ONE had received it due to Club Med's email filter system...sooooo, I proceeded to send it again NO LESS THAN FIVE TIMES between Monday and today...each time, getting *blocked* by Club Med's filter. I eventually just copied off the letter and put 5 copies in the US Postal mail, faxing a copy to Dr. She Who Will Not Be Named office, and alerting her personal minion assistant it was coming across the wire. I then headed off to work.

By the time I had arrived at work, my cell phone had a message, which was from one of the Club Med MS Clinic representatives. As I have said all along, I don't have ANY issues with my neurologist or the clinic...just the hospital system that is GOUGING Tysabri costs. The clinic representative wanted to know what she could do to assist and I politely told her NOT A DAYUM thing! I needed to hear from someone way higher up the Club Med food chain than her and, if I DIDN'T hear from one of the powerful untouchables, I would be proceeding with plan *B* as outlined in "the letter" (see previous post if you are just tuning in to my Tysabri billing saga). She tried to tell me the elusive letter from the Clinic was forthcoming and had "just been approved to be sent out" (detailing billing costs of Tysabri for ALL MS clinic patients on the drug)...I again calmly and graciously told her that was *nice*...but if I didn't have a copy of the letter in my hot, perimenopausal hands by Friday AND one of the powerful untouchables hadn't contacted me by then either, plan *B* would be initiated (aka, war would be declared). She told me she hoped it wouldn't come to that. I'm not exactly certain what PART of plan *B* has the sharpest teeth, but I imagine it is the "I'll contact the media" part. LOL

And now, for the cold hard truth...I DON'T LIKE CONFLICT. As a matter of fact, I tend to steer clear of it whenever possible in my personal life. Every day, I am faced with conflict in my job...either a patient is mad at me because I'm not doing what THEY want, or a professional is mad at me because I'm not doing what THEY want. If I commit someone, the committed becomes angry and if I don't commit someone, the referent is hacked off. I deal with CONFLICT for nearly 9 1/2 hours a day EVERY day I am at work. So, the idea of having to manage even MORE conflict at home is overwhelming.

But here's another cold hard truth...I am taking on this conflict with Club Med (and insurers), not particularly because of my OWN needs, but for the needs of countless other MS patients who either cannot find their own voice to do so or simply don't know how. I have excellent tax-payer funded insurance...I pay NOTHING for my Tysabri infusions, once my yearly deductible is met (which ends up being met usually no later than March of any year, estimated to cost me around $1400 out of pocket.). I could easily go merrily along for 10+ years and not exhaust my 2 million dollar lifetime maximum benefits. I don't NEED to fight with Club Med. I WANT to fight this fight because it is important...maybe not in the big picture of things to come...but in the every day battles MS patients struggle with. Battles such as whether to pay their rent or get the medications they need.

When I am able to keep the above perspective, I am ENERGIZED to take on this battle. And when I read your many comments of encouragement here on CHEESE, I am humbled by your show of support. WE, as MS patients, MUST fight these battles whenever we are able because no one is going to listen to us or fight for us unless WE do it. I am currently physically and emotionally capable of doing so, but many MSers are not...they are exhausted from their disease or beaten down by a health care or disability system that has turned its back on us. YOU keep me fighting/speaking out...and because of this, I thank you.

OK, I'm starting to sound like a poorly written and crudely articulated Obama speech, so I'll stop. LOL Of course, I will keep everyone informed here as the end of the week unfolds and I have either gotten a response from Club Med or been ignored.

And, in answer to your question, Spaz Attack, about the multi Investor Village hits today on CHEESE...these "hits" come from the Elan Investment Message Board, which are a group of stock/shareholders monitoring Tysabri in the market...they are harmless peeps, but seem to know/monitor whenever the word "Tysabri" is whispered on the Internet! If you recall, Elan is the maker of Tysabri (Biogen Idec corp here in the States)...fear not. They often follow my Tysabri tales.

Must drop off to sleep now...I am preparing for what "could" be a somewhat eventful end to my week and I most definitely need to be well-rested. I also get my next Tysabri infusion on Friday (I think this is number 8?), so the week WILL end with a big bang or *banging* in my head from headache/body aches!...